What went wrong?

I thought I had it figured out. After all, I was learning from the best; never a white shirt, quasi-sagging pants, with the tie loose up top. Even for my calling, instead of saying the "land of Israel" I would intermittently throw in "occupied palestine" just to get a response and emphasize the word "ass" to refer to the animals that were ridden every chance I had. I had the image of an enigma and a person on the cusp of being inactive. But I don't know what happened. I did where a white shirt once. I was befriended by practically the entire PEC (though I didn't know it at the time). But that wouldn't change it, right? I even talked to the RS president about not being worried about rejecting a calling (not out of spite, but rather knowing that I would do a horrible job, e.g. EQP, FHE coordinator). But alas, it served me not. Last Sunday I was called to Executive Secretary.

I'm still not wearing a suit.

A Little Bird Told Me

So I hear that someone is changing careers.... a little quinky dink, I found these pictures on my computer and I thought,"wow, it's destiny, he was born for this". Does this mean "your gonna getta physical, physical, your gonna getta physical, physical"

A Higher Calling?

Quick observation:

A couple of weeks ago, a member of our bishopric took to the podium in sacrament meeting and pointedly admonished the members about church callings. It was the second time in recent weeks to do so. The discourses kindly rebuked the members for thinking a calling determined worthiness and that one shouldn’t think a calling is “below them” or worry if one feels that a calling doesn’t meet one’s [highly trained] skills – that it doesn’t matter if a calling doesn’t have a lot of responsibility. Also, he drove the point that no calling is “better” than another. It’s obvious that this is a concern for the bishopric and enough of an issue to counsel the ward on two different occasions.

I came out of the meeting genuinely intrigued that there are actually folks out there that pine for certain church callings and positions of responsibility and supposed prestige. As for me, I’m content picking up cheerios and broken crayons after sacrament meeting while the teachers clean up the sacrament. If I wasn't a counselor in YM, I'd be more than willing to be called as the Cheerios and Broken Crayons Coordinator.

I’m just curious to know if anyone else has seen this in their wards or know anyone with these types of ecclesiastical aspirations as it seemed completely foreign to me - interested to know what some of the motives are...

Famous Relative?

So, I've been watching the World Series of Poker occasionally. It is actually quite interesting, though hard to explain why. Well, while I was watching, they went to one table where this player was highlighted. The announcers pronounced the last name just like you would ours. Also, notice the nationality. Who's going to use this first in a talk?

Christmas Names

I'm not meaning to step on mom's toes but I'm trying to get prepared for Christmas so I wanted to make sure I knew who we had. If we follow the same way we've done it the last cauple of years it would be the following:

Nick/Kim: Sam/Mike
CLint/Mayka: Trevor
Chad/Jenn: Nick/Kim
Sam/Mike: Clint/mayka
Trev: Chad/Jenn

Does this look right to everyone?

Odds & Ends

I need to come up with an idea for a Halloween work party game . It is to be along the lines of a guessing game that can be hung on the wall and people guess them during the day. I have done famous people, movie lines, nursery rhymes, and others I can't remember. Does anyone have any good ideas???

Clint and Mayka - your kitchen is awesome!! I can't believe the difference. It will be nice to see it in person.

I am so glad I watched Oprah yesterday - not my usual faire. I found out things I did not know. A couple of things stand out :::::
1. It's normal to look at your poop - most everyone does
2. Everyone looks at their boogers.

Just thought you would like to know.

Training/Forum Topics

Some Potential Training/Forum Topics:

Bike Training:

Interval Training
at the Track:


Family Support:

Race Reports:

Heat acclimatization:

Transitions:

Nutrition Tips:

Training/Tri Forum

Trevor, not sure about the name yet but thought this might provide some inspiration:

Something new?

So, I've been talking to some peeps, and due to the fact that most of us are in a semi mode of consistent exercise/training we thought "how cool would it be if there was a forum for training/exercises/races related purposes for the Tusticrew." If someone has a question about running, or any aspect of exercise, they can ask the question on this blog/forum and the Tusticrew can answer or comment. What do you think? And if this is reached with positive enthusiasm, what would be the blog name? This is something I would greatly benefit from, being training specific, while Tustizone remains as anecdotal stories of Tustilogic in our lives.

Work BBQ

So we have my work party last night at our house . Dad takes a day off work to cook all the meat - chicken, brisket and ribs with all the trimmings. Most everyone came with their families, boyfriends and/ or spouses. The meal was a great success. Then we had them pick out songs for karaoke. Everyone was singing and getting into it. - even the drs. (I told them not to quit their day jobs). After we all sang "YMCA" I looked over and there was a cop standing at the corner of the house. Thinking it was a joke, I say "I didn't do it!" He didn't laugh so I walked over there. Apparently, someone had called saying we were making too much noise. Geez!! Who calls the police for a disturbance at 6:30 on a Friday night?? The cop said when he looked in the back yard and saw all the little kids running around, he knew it was a bogus call. He said to just turn the volume down a little. Some of the drs had brought their own wine (unbeknownst to me) so they thought the whole thing was funny!! One of the nurses wanted to sing even louder so he would come back. She thought he was cute!! Crazy evening ~~

Help!!! Advice Needed!!

So I took the plunge, got some vibrams, and tried them out. They were great. In fact I couldn't believe how light they felt and how easy it was to run on the balls of my feet. Last Tuesday I ran and began to experience a painful twinge in my left foot/heel. By midmorning the pain was gone. Wednesday I went running again and the pain came back full force. I had to limp home and spent the day in pain.
Here it is Sunday night and my ankle is still swollen and throbbing with pain. What to do?? Do I baby it? Do I try to ignore it - no pain, no gain? Do I wait until the pain is completely gone before attempting to exercise again? The doctor would want it x-rayed and I'm not doing that. What is up with my foot and what should I do??

Which state are we in?

So tonight Clint took the older two boys to soccer practice... and I stayed with the other two. After awhile Rhys asked me "Did Riley and Sam and Dad take the Aspen". I just have to chuckle... thought I would share.

What happens when you read too much?

I think you all know that I am the master at avoiding reading. When I was in high school I never read any of the classics. In fact, when I got a D in junior AP English at Anadarko High, I switched the next semester to regular English and they covered the same thing as the first semester in AP so I remembered the answers and got an A. The teacher could not figure out how since he taught both classes.

In my other classes and in college I developed an ability to listen in class and know what was going to be asked on the tests so I seldom read even the text book assignments.

When we were asked to read the Book of Mormon, I figured out I could listen to the cds traveling to work and did not read then, or really ever from cover to cover. (revelation)

I am very good at not reading anything other than what I have too. I do remember reading a novel once that was written by a guy that had swindled several million dollars from the first bank I worked for. Then it had been about 25 years when I read the Davince Code and then Angles and Daemons over the course of about three years.

Comes the summer of 2010. Thinking I should do something good for me I pick up a book in the market in Bear Lake (The Templar's Throne), a so so book. Then figured I had to read a Glenn Beck book, and before I know it I was reading Born to Run. Seems like a lot of reading for a non-reader. So what is the result.

By the time I got to the third book in one summer my brain was overloaded. The last few morning I have woken up with sore muscles, like I had been running all night. During the day I find myself walking around trying to keep my heals off the ground. I have been obsessing about web sites that say run barefoot. I am craving bean burritos wrapped in corn tortillas. I am considering giving up diet Coke. I found a Cruse that includes a tour of the Cooper Canyons in Mexico. I found Barefoot Ted's web site and considered asking him to coach me (until I saw the price). I am convinced I need to loose weight to help my running. This morning when I woke up it seamed that I was laying on my side in a running position. I can tell you about every style of Vebrams and what they are intended for and what color they are. I can even tell you about the counterfeits. I have recommended Born to Run to friends and complete strangers. I am thinking that maybe I can run again and enjoy it before I started having knee problems. I was even disappointed to find out they did not have my size of Bikala at the running store and did not know when or if they would get them. I was considering getting two pair before I even tried one pair on.

Everything I need to know I thought I learned in Kindergarten, but it seems not. I have learned that good runners are basically good people. (Maybe a little crazy if they are ultra distance runners.) I now try to eat like I was poor (Sometimes). It is important to run for the joy of it and not for the end result (I used to do that and hope I can get back to that attitude). And most encouraging, at 65 I should be able to run as good as I did when I was 19 (dream on).

Well I have rambled on enough. Is it reading overload or longing for the past? Will I just keep reading or try to live the dream again? Only time will tell, but I am open again to book suggestions that will cause me to have good dreams.

What's a Crib?

So Kai has never really slept in a crib... before we left he was in a little infant portable thing and in Utah he was in a portable crib... so the first night we got back this is how he fell asleep... any who I think he likes it.

Slogan/Motto

The Tustison family needs a motto or slogan. Some of the best ones have already been chosen I.e. May the Force Be With You, Live Long and Prosper, Are Your Legs Painted On? etc. Does anyone in the Tustison Syndicate have any good ideas for a Tustison motto?

Wake Up...

This is what I found when I came back from the bathroom in the morning. Oliver and Hazel had found there way onto the bed, ready to wake up Mike apparently. I thought it was cute...

2nd Annual Faculty Basketball Game

I wait for two days throughout the school year: Track and Field day, where the kids compete against one another on the last day of classes, and the Faculty basketball game, where teachers go against teachers in front of 500+ students in the school gym. Each event pits students against students and teachers against teachers, each preaching dominance over the other. Yesterday, was the latter and this is everything that led up to it.

August 17, 2009: Daydreaming about the faculty game that will happen in 9 months.

October, 2009: Mom, Dad and I visit Chad and Jenn in San Antonio. Chad and I compete in a best of 3 basketball showdown and I realize I need to train harder.

October - April:
Mid-April: Discussion of teams is going down. Originally teams were going to be considered the same every year, but rumor is going around that I might be traded. Apparently, I’m the X-factor.

May 7: Deadline for money is due. I remain with the same team (hey, as long as my minutes aren’t affected). Teams are as follows:

Make-it, Take-it
Palomares (P.E. Coach)
Illingworth (Art Teacher)
Rivera (Assistant Principal)
(F) Michaels (PE Aide)
(F) Khalil (Teacher)
(F) Jones (Principal)
Tustison

Semi-Pro
Shaw (PE Coach)
Robinson (Special Ed)
Van Gilder (Teacher)
Settles (Assistant Principal)
(F) Coplen (PE Coach)
(F) Ymbert (Orchestra Teacher)
(F) Stewart (Teacher)
Bo (Teacher)

May 10-13: Kids are buying the tickets. At the end of the day on Thurday, 82 of my kids out of 100 have boughten tickets to the game, and I am constantly reminded by my kids not to lose. We get our shirts in our boxes.

May 12: Mr. Robinson enters into my room, gives the “i’m going to cut your throat” signal and my class erupts in “MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!!”

May 14, Game Day
8:16 - My first kid asks me if I’m nervous.
8:17 - I’m told I better not lose
8:15-12:20 - So far both class periods have come into my room chanting my name. All this hype is making me nervous now. My kids are VERY distracted. Maybe the fact that I keep walking around the room with my basketball and dribbling through my legs contributes to it, but no excuses, right?
11:30 - Mr. Bo walks into my room with a Make-it/Take-it poster and rips it in half. Again, my class erupts into “MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!! MR. T!!”
12:20-12:50 - Lunch (I change into my basketball attire)
12:50 - I walk to the cafeteria to pick up my kids. All of a sudden the cafeteria explodes into the same chants of Mr. T while they rhythmically beat on the tables. The cafeteria monitors all the while are threatening them with silent lunch. Okay, now I wish they had never boughten tickets.
2:00: In our pod all the classes in our pod begin to change. Mr. Bo gets his class to start chanting his name out loud, then all 100+ of my kids answer back with their own teacher’s name. I swear I was at a soccer match in some third world country.
2:30-3:30 - The game was fun. We ended up winning by 18 points. I had an okay game. I had about 8 rebounds, 2 points, several assists, and 1 steal. They videotaped it and hopefully then can pass along a copy. Though these pics are a little weak sauce, you must know that I gave the camera to one of my kids to take pictures.
It was rather funny. After the game, a bunch of students ran up to me with signs for a picture opportunity. During this time, several teachers were trying to get the crowd to be quiet so they could dismiss. About this time, I’m told that one of the teachers on the microphone was saying, “Mr. T, if you could help us get your kids quiet. Please Mr. T.” I didn’t hear ‘em nor did I realize what they were trying to do until I saw one of the AP’s with the quiet signal.

Broken Toe

Well...that's it. I broke my pinky toe. I was answering the phone from the hotel we're going to be staying in St. George for the triathlon, ironically enough, and ran into the corner of the heating vent. I thought I just stubbed my toe, until I looked down and saw that my toe was facing the opposite way of the rest of the toes. I have to stay off of it for at least 3 weeks maybe as long as 6. I go to the foot doctor on Monday. I might have to get crutches...I'm still all numbed up, so I'm not sure how bad it's going to hurt. I swear I didn't do this on purpose. Granted, I was getting a little nervous about the triathlon....but I was also super excited. I really liked my tri-outfit and it matched well with my bike....

Strawberries and More Strawberries

Last Saturday we drove north about an hour and picked some fresh strawberries. I’m not really a big fruit guy. In fact, I think the first time I had a fruit salad wasn’t until after Jenn and I got married. Anyway, the strawberries weren’t too bad.

I had my chance

Remember this image; some joke from my CMS days.


Now check this out. About 2 weeks ago, they played on Jimmy Kimmel.

I'm going to...

The University of Virginia!

I matched!

So I just found out that I matched. Now I have to wait until Thursday at noon to find out where.

Snow out the ying yang

So I wanted to post some picture that my friend took of our massive snow storms back in Maryland.. it really looked so beautiful, though at times a little wild. After the second storm hit, Ashley and I went out to explore. We waded through the snow and drift to reach the bottom of the snow mountain in the middle of our cul-de-sac, then we braved it till we reached the summit. When we got back to base camp, we proceeded to thaw the gutter by passing hot water jugs through the front window, which is double hung so the top comes down.This is me getting ready to climb on the roof.... I had to literally crawl through the snow to get to this point
This is a picture of my house from the summit looking down at the house... this is after the second snow storm and about 15 minutes after we just received power.. notice the covered cars.. that is all new snow they had all been shoveled out at one point and you could see the drive way. Below is me almost at the summit...at the top it was really cool it looked like a cater.
ENJOY

Costco Vs. Sams Club

So tonight we went to Sams Club, you know to stock up on Snicker Ice Cream Bars..and the nice man was scanning our items before it was our turn at the register. He was talking to Oliver about stuff and asking him if he liked to come to Sams Club. Oliver stopped to think and said...."I like Costco." The guy laughed and said, "well Costco is better at some things, but I think we're pretty good too." Oliver shrugged his shoulders and then changed the subject. Made us laugh.

Pathetic

You know how Dad gets emotional when he watches movies??? Well, we were watching "Undercover Boss" after the Super Bowl and at the end, I look over at him and he is tearing up. What a sensitive guy!!!!

Running the City

I hate to be the one to take Oliver off the top of the page but someone's gotta do it. Anyway, Trevor and I ran the City Manager’s 5k Run on Saturday. Not sure how many folks showed up but about 1,200 people signed up. I was pretty impressed as this was Trevor’s first official race. I don’t think he breathed once during the whole car ride down to the Park since he was so nervous focused.

It was pretty cold (35 degrees) at the start of the race but soon our feet were on fire. I won’t go too much into detail except to say that, after weaving through some fast-walkers who jumped to the front of the start line, we both had podium finishes and personal bests. Trevor came in 3RD place in his age group (25-29) with a time of 20:44 and I stumbled into 1ST place in my age group (30-34) with a time of 19:54. My goal was to break 20 minutes and Trevor’s was to finish strong. We both received “Key’s to the City” medals from the City Manager for placing top 3. Jenn, as always, braved the elements and cheered like a madwoman!

First...

First day of preschool today....(it's only once a week for 2 hours) Oliver had a good time except for when I picked him up. He had a melt down because he threw his cupcake in the trash and didn't have anymore.

Drink any poo lately?

Maybe it's time to switch to plastic bottles.

(Now I know why Trevor's teeth are so white. No fecal matter.)

Soda Fountains Contain Fecal Bacteria

Christmas Beatdown

I arrived home and promptly conquered Kim's and Nick's gift for Christmas: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. I won some and lost some but ultimately dominated when it mattered most - similar to my domination over Trevor and Nick on the church basketball court over the Christmas break. Needless to say, I channeled the power of their second gift: the baby blue tuxedo shirt thing. If Samantha or Clint want to borrow the shirt for their next triathlon, just let me know.